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IFTY 


\ WRITTEN BY ^ 

LAURA ROUNTREE SMITH 


A JUST RIGHT BOOK 


JJ. MORA’S FAMOUS ANIMAL PICTURES 




































































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FIFTY FUNNY 
ANIMAL TALES 





The Magic Boots 



























FIFTY 

FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 

WRITTEN BY 

LAURA ROUNTREE SMITH 

SlUTHO-R or HAPPY MANIKIN-COMICAL CIRCUS STORIE5- 
TIDDLY WINKS BOOKS -JOLLY POLLY- CURLY TAIL - ETC- 



ILLUSTRATIONS BY 
JOSEPH J. MORA 


l 


A JUST RIGHT BOOkJ 


ALBERT • WHITMAN • COMPANY 
PUBLISHERS 

C. 


CHICAGO 


U.S.A. 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 

Copyright, 1923, by Albert Whitman & Company, 
Chicago, U. S. A. 



AUC29'23 A JUST RIGHT BOOK 

MADE IN THE U. S. A. 


©C1A752718 







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PREFACE 

This book contains short stories of animals that will 
charm the children. Such characters as the Funny Fox, 
the Happy Hare, the Willful Wolf, the Careful Cat 
and many others appear. 

Useful proverbs are woven into these tales. The 
stories will be of special use to teachers and parents who 
want to teach as well as to have a story for enter¬ 
tainment. 

The verses heading the stories, the little jingles 
throughout the tales and the beautiful illustrations, add 
much to the attractiveness of the book. 

One cannot help but laugh at the tricks of the Funny 
Fox and the Fairy Tales he relates. They will be 
enjoyed by all. 

The cunning of the Funny Fox in defending himself, 
the wonderful Feast and the arrival of the Wooden 
Horse upon the scene of action will please the youthful 
readers. 

If love makes this old world go round, 
LAUGHTER we have often found, 

Makes us happy as can be, 

So read this book and LAUGH with me. 


FIFTY STORIES 


Funny Fox 
Willful Wolf 
Big Brother Bear 
Careful Cat 
Homeless Hare 
Happy Hare 
Cheerful Cock 
A Friend in Need 
Bold Badger 
Amiable Ape 
The Wolfs Escape 
Little Hill Men 
Comical Crow 
Daring Dog 
Fairy Gold 
Aunty Ape 
Magic Boots 
In the Woods 
Lordly Lion 
The Throne 
The Escape 
King and Queen 
The Judge 
A Soft Answer 
The Gold and Jewels 


The Magic Comb 
The Lessons 
The Duel 
Magic Horse 
The Prince 
The Invitations 
Comical Crane 
Dressing Up 
The Joke 
Shy Squirrel 
Solemn Stork 
Lazy Leopard 
What They Said 
Not For Me 
Awaiting the Guests 
Be Prompt 
Before the Rest 
Welcome 
Smile Bag 
The Merry Time 
Singing 
The Riddle 
Wooden Horse 
The Crown 
The Message 



ILLUSTRATIONS 


The Magic Boots.Frontispiece 

The Smile Bag.Page 8 

I Prefer a Chicken.. “ 9 

Went Off With Young Lamb. “ 15 

Fox and Bold Badger.i “ 20 

When Moonlight Came. “ 23 

Cried the China Plate. “ 25 

On the Door Was a Sign. “ 30 

Amiable Ape Said to Me. “ 39 

With a Great Piece of Meat. “ 47 

A Piece of Sticky Fly Paper. “ 65 

Comb Through His Hair. “ 75 

Was On Fire... “ 79 

Only the Magic Ring. “ 83 

Reciting Verses From Mother Goose. “ 91 

As He Had Seen. “ 95 

Tearing Some Clothes Off the Line. “ 102 

To the Arrival. “ 109 

Turkey Was the First to Shout. “ 119 

With a Laurel Wreath. “ 124 

The I ast to Leave. “ 125 
































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FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 



/ Prefer a Chicken 1 Do Declare 


FUNNY FOX 

The Funny Fox and the Bold Badger, walk¬ 
ing on the road To-No-Place-in-Particular, 
met the Happy Hare singing, 

“I’m a Happy Hare, I do declare, 

I go here, and there, and everywhere.” 

The Funny Fox winked his eye and said, 

“It is only a quarter after ten, 

Come, visit me now in my den.” 








10 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


The Bold Badger, though a great friend of 
the Funny Fox, remarked suddenly, 

“I forgot something I had to borrow. 

Good-bye ’till the day after to-morrow.” 

He scampered off in the opposite direction. 

Now, the Happy Hare stood with her hand 
up to her face and looked foolish; then she said, 

‘‘Mother said, ‘if you talk to a stranger 
You may find yourself in danger.’ ” 

The Funny Fox laughed loud and long, for 
he was well known by every animal in the 
woods. He remarked, 

“I’ll tell you a story in my den. 

You will be contented then.” 

So they went clippety, clippety, clip, till they 
came to the Funny Fox’s den, and in they 
went. 

The Funny Fox said, 

“You are such a Happy Hare, 

Won’t you take the rocking chair?” 

Then he sat down in the corner and began his 
story. 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


11 


He said, 

“Once upon a time I met a Hopeless Hare. 
He had, by the way, ears just like you.” 

The Happy Hare waved her ears nervously 
to and fro. 

“I gave the Hopeless Hare a fine breakfast 
and dinner and supper, and his eyes twinkled 
just like yours do.” 

At this, the Happy Hare winked very hard. 

The Funny Fox continued, 

“She twitched her nose, and I suppose 
Why she did this goodness knows!” 

The Happy Hare twitched her nose and 
waved her long ears suddenly. 

The Funny Fox continued, 

“I got water hot in my little pot, 

I thought I would roast her, like as not. 

She would boil and boil and never stop 
Unless she went off hippety-hop.” 

The Happy Hare gave one startled look 
round the den and, with a hop, skip, and bound, 
she was off and away! Off flew her hat and her 
shadow looked longer and longer in the sun¬ 
light. 




12 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


The Funny Fox ran after her to his doorway 
and then he sat down and laughed loud and 
long, for he really meant no harm this time; he 
was only joking. 

He laughed until his sides shook, and said, 

“THERE’S MANY A SLIP ’TWIXT 
THE CUP AND LIP.’’ 

He continued, talking to himself, 

“I wouldn’t have eaten that Happy Hare, 

I prefer a chicken I do declare.” 

“Who said chicken?” cried a voice, and the 
Willful Wolf stood in the doorway leading to 
the den. 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


13 


WILLFUL WOLF 


To-day I introduce to you, 

The Willful Wolf who plays tricks too, 
These animals all try to please, 

But one another they will tease. 


The Funny Fox pricked up his ears. 

“Chicken or young lambs are all the same to 
me,” he said, so off he and the Willful Wolf 
went, trip, trip, tripping along. 

Bye and bye they came in view of a field 
where the young lambs were. There was a hill 
leading to the field called “Tumble-Down 
Hill,” and the Willful Wolf knew every inch 
of the ground, for he had lived there about all 
his life. He knew every hole and rock and pit- 
fall, and had had many a tumble himself. He 
also knew the safe places to travel on Tumble- 
Down Hill. 




14 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


He suggested a race, and the Funny Fox, 
suspecting nothing, joined heartily. In less 
than no time he fell and hurt his foot, and the 
Willful Wolf reached the fold and went off with 
a young lamb, saying: “Where are you, Funny 
Fox? Why are you so slow? There are plenty 
of young lambs, here. Well, as I won the race 
I will go off with the prize.” 

The Willful Wolf went off with the young 
lamb. 

At this very minute the Bold Badger came 
clippety, clippety, clip along. He walked on 
the whole sole of his foot, as is the habit with 
badgers, and he said, 

“By my long hair, I do declare. 

The Funny Fox is lying there.” 

The Funny Fox said, “Why do you come 
walking along so slowly? Can’t you see I need 
help, for I have had an accident. 

The Bold Badger, though a solitary fellow, 
really liked the Funny Fox and his capers, and 
remarked that he would go borrow a wheelbar¬ 
row to take him home. 





The Willful Wolf Went Off With the Young Lamb 






16 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


The Bold Badger was soon wheeling the 
Funny Fox toward his den, and as they went 
he said in a sing-song kind of way, “I wonder 
why you call me a Bold Badger, for I am natur¬ 
ally a little shy and seldom go about except at 
night. 

“My ancestors in Scotland and England 
went by the name of ‘Brock,’ and in some parts 
of England today I am called ‘Grey.’ 

“My cousins, the Sand Bear and Indian Bear, 
look much like me.” 

The Funny Fox had not heard a single word 
the Bold Badger had said, for, as they jogged 
along the road to Somewhere-in-Particular, his 
old head full of plans for teasing other animals, 
he fell asleep. 

So the Bold Badger left him asleep in the 
wheelbarrow outside his den, and said to him¬ 
self, as he thought of the many times the Funny 
Fox had played tricks and that the Willful 
Wolf had outwitted him, “IT IS A LONG 
LANE THAT HAS NO TURNING.” 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


17 


BIG BROTHER BEAR 

“Big brother Bear you should beware, 

The Fox is tricky I declare, 

Even though you long for honey, 

I would not trust him for much money.” 

The Funny Fox had a sore foot only a short 
time, but he made the most of it, and limped 
along sometimes just to be sly and cunning. 

One day he was limping along when he met 
Old Brother Bear. “How do you do?” he asked 
politely. 

Old Brother Bear asked, “What makes you 
limp this morning?” 

The Funny Fox replied, “Alas! I hurt my 
paw and cannot walk another step, and it is 
sad, for I was going to the tree the woodman 
has cut down, to get some honey! I can 
see the tree where it has fallen, but cannot walk 
another step!” 





18 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


Old Brother Bear said, “I will get the honey. 
You wait here for me.” He went on, smacking 
his lips. How he did like honey! No sooner 
had he reached the tree than he plunged in the 
opening head first. The Funny Fox ran hast¬ 
ily and took out some wedges in the tree and 
Old Brother Bear could not pull his head out. 
He was caught as though in a trap. 

“How do you like the honey?” asked the 
Funny Fox. 

Just then the Bold Badger came trip, trip, 
tripping along. He laughed when he saw Old 
Brother Bear’s discomfort, but he said it was a 
shame to fool him when there was no honey 
in the tree. Then he whispered something to 
the Funny Fox: “Let us help him out and I 
will show him a hive where the bees are swarm¬ 
ing, but we can make him go in and get real 
honey for us.” 

Old Brother Bear was so thankful to the Bold 
Badger for helping him out that he readily 
agreed to his plan, and the three went along 
till they came to three bee hives that stood in a 


row. 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


19 


The Funny Fox said, “You go now and get 
honey for us and you shall have half of all you 
bring out.” 

Old Brother Bear said, “I dare not go, for the 
bees are swarming and I will get stung.” 

The Funny Fox winked at the Bold Badger 
and said, “If you are so afraid, the Bold Badger 
will go and get a sip of honey first to show you 
the bees here are harmless.” 

The Bold Badger did this, and, though the 
bees came all about him, he did not get stung, 
because his hide is such no insect can sting him. 

Old Brother Bear, seeing he came to no harm, 
plunged in, and my! how he howled! He got 
stung and carried a swollen face for a week. 

The Funny Fox and Bold Badger went off 
down the road. 

After that Old Brother Bear knew enough to 
leave bee hives alone, which shows that “A 
BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE.” 




20 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 



Funny Fox and Bold Badger Went Off Down the Road 


Every animal he met for a week asked, “Have 
you the toothache? Why is your head tied up, 
Old Brother Bear?” To which he replied, 

“I’m not sure I heard just what you said, 
Perhaps it’s the fashion to tie up the head.” 

So I think Old Brother Bear had a laugh 
after all, for to this day many animals do not 
know what was the matter with him. 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


21 


CAREFUL CAT 

The Careful Cat said, “I cannot tell 
How many times I fell down the well, 
To remember, what is the use, 

Let us consult Old Mother Goose.” 


Once upon a time the Careful Cat heard a 
bell ringing and a great cry arose, 

“Ding, dong, bell. 

Pussy is in the well.” 

She kept under cover, but crept up into a tall 
tree to see what was happening. 

After a while many animals passed by on 
their way home from market, and they peeped 
in the well but could see no one. 

A voice cried, 

“Put down the rope and draw me out, 

Or Puss will be drowned without a doubt.” 

While the animals were busy putting down 
the rope the Fox, who had on his invisible 





22 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


cloak, hopped out of the well and seized the 
largest basket and went merrily homeward. 

“I will remember his slyness,” remarked the 
Careful Cat. 

“Be very careful what you do. 

Don’t let him play a trick on you.” 

whistled the Merry Wind. 

One day a little later the Careful Cat was 
watching for mice in a barn when the Funny 
Fox came by and said, 

“If you take the road that leads to the mill 
There are so many mice you can get your fill.” 

The Careful Cat thought it over all day, and 
when moonlight came she said to the Funny 
Fox, “Maybe I would stumble in the moon¬ 
light.” 

The Funny Fox only said, 

“There are so many mice, a million or more. 
They are right outside the old mill-door.” 

The Careful Cat decided to go at once, and 
laughed at the idea of catching so many mice. 

The Merry Wind whistled again, 

“Be very careful what you do, 

Don’t let him play a trick on you.” 











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When Moonlight Came 





















24 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


The Cat reached the mill door and was going 
to catch a fat mouse when he was caught him¬ 
self in a trap. 

The Funny Fox slipped away, but the mill 
owner and others caught the Cat and gave him 
a beating because they thought he had stolen 
their chickens. When loose, the Careful Cat 
was so angry he jumped and jumped and 
behaved in a funny manner. 

The Funny Fox said, as he went off, 

“HE LAUGHS BEST WHO LAUGHS 
LAST.” 












FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 25 



Cried the China Plate 


HOMELESS HARE 

Oh Homeless Hare, I do declare, 

Of the Funny Fox beware, 

This cunning creature of the wood. 

Is very seldom if ever good. 

One day the Homeless Hare went “clippety, 
clippety, clip” along the woods and when he 
came to the den of the Funny Fox he stepped 
inside and said, “By my long whiskers and 
stubby tail I smell pot-roast; by my twinkling 
eyes I smell cabbage; by my wrinkling, twin¬ 
kling nose I smell molasses.” 








26 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


He went nearer and nearer the entrance to 
the den, and the Funny Fox peeped out and 
said, 

“You’re looking thinner, very much thinner, 
Come in a while and stay to dinner.” 

There was an old-fashioned plate on the man- 
tlepiece and it cried out, for it had seen things 
happen before, 

“Don’t do it,” cried the china plate. 

“For your dinner you’d better wait.” 

Then another voice piped up, 

“Don’t do it,” called the coffee pot. 

“He will play a trick as like as not!” 

Still another voice warned him, 

“Don’t do it,” cried the rubber ball, 

“He is not a gracious host at all.” 

The Teakettle bubbled over in excitement, 
saying, 

“Stop a minute—think again, 

Don’t stay in the Fox’s den.” 

In spite of all this, the Homeless Hare came 
on into the Fox’s den. 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALKS 


27 


There sat a table spread for three, 

.Mrs. Fox said. "We’re glad of company.” 

Just as the Homeless Ilare took his seat, be¬ 
fore he could unfold his napkin, the Funny Fox 
said, "Let me examine your new necktie,” and 
he sprang at him. 

Over went the table; over went the roast, cab¬ 
bage and molasses. 

The Homeless Hare thought his end had 
surely come, when a shot was fired and the 
Foxes ran back into another part of the den. 
A few minutes after the hunters had passed by, 
the Homeless Hare crept out of the den. He 
had always supposed that the hunters were his 
enemies. Now he said, "A FRIEND IN 
NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED.” 





28 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


HAPPY HARE 

Oh Happy Hare, take care, take care, 

The Fox will play tricks everywhere, 

And if you trust him, some fine day 
He’ll play a trick on you I say. 

The Happy Hare loved to dress up in other 
people’s clothes. 

One day he put on a little red jacket with 
long, trailing sleeves, and a little red cap and 
went “trip, trip, tripping” along through the 
woods. 

He met the Funny Fox, who said, 

“I am out for frolic and for fun, 

I’ll give you a costume like a nun.” 

The Happy Hare put on a dress over his 
costume and journeyed on with the Funny 
Fox, who said, 

“I will teach you a little song, 

The tune is easy, the words not long.” 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


29 


The Happy Hare was very anxious to learn 
to sing, so he said the words over and over 
while the Funny Fox hummed the tune and 
beat time with a hickory stick. 

They sang the words to the tune of “Twinkle, 
Little Star,” and they were these: 

To all animals be kind. 

Gently try to make them mind, 

We will love you if you think. 

To give us some food and drink. 

The Happy Hare said, “The Funny Fox is 
in the best kind of humor today.” 

Suddenly, without any warning, a strange 
thing happened. 

The Funny Fox sprang at the Happy Hare 
and tore his dress and took a slice off one ear, 
if you please, before he could escape! 

Bye and bye, when the Happy Hare had re¬ 
covered from his fright, he said, “That was a 
cute little song. I am glad to learn it, anyway.” 
He felt somehow that he had better hurry home 
for a wise old owl said to him, “DO NOT 
CROW UNTIL YOU ARE OUT OF THE 
WOODS.” 




30 FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 



On the Door iFas a Sign 


CHEERFUL COCK 

The Cheerful Cock said, “To the Fox’s den 
I will go, I can’t tell you tho’ just when, 

I’ll accuse him of everything he’s done, 

And make him pay for his reckless fun.” 

One day the Cheerful Cock was angry as 
could be, for he woke to find his Aunt Matilda 
and Uncle Jim and fifteen of his cousins gone 
out of the barnyard. 

He knew the Funny Fox was to blame for 
the Merry Wind told him so. 

For once, the Cheerful Cock was sad and he 
made out a list of all the complaints he had to 
make, and he wrote them down on paper. Put¬ 
ting on his best spurs, off he went to the Fox’s 
den. 







FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


31 


On the den door was a sign, “Gone for a walk 
by the garden wall.” 

Now it happened that the Funny Fox had 
heard that the Cheerful Cock was very angry 
as indeed he should be, so he had put on the 
dress of a monk hoping no one would know 
him in his disguise. 

The Cheerful Cock was near-sighted and 
took him for a real monk and so he recited his 
troubles thinking he had a kind, sympathetic 
listener. 

He did not see the Fox’s long sharp nose. 

He did not notice his bushy-tail. 

Just as he was through his story of wrongs 
the pious-looking monk (for it was no other 
than the Funny Fox), made a spring at him, 
and the Cheerful Cock had just time to fly over 
the garden wall! 

He had thought the monk handsome in his 
fine clothes, but now he called back “HAND¬ 
SOME IS AS HANDSOME DOES.” 




32 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 



A FRIEND IN NEED 

Oh Funny Fox take care, take care, 

This saying is very true, 

The animals say everywhere, 

They will play a trick on you. 

One day the Funny Fox roasted a great, fat 
turkey and said, “Though it is a little before 
Thanksgiving, I am going to eat my turkey 
now.” 

“Trip-trap,” sounded little feet, “Rap, a-tap” 
sounded the knocker. 

The Funny Fox went to the door and saw 
no one, but a voice said, 

“Turkey’s not good, so I’ve heard say 
Without cranberries on Thanksgiving Day.” 

The Funny Fox waved his long ears to and 
fro and went back to carve his turkey. 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


33 


He had just picked up his knife when, “pat¬ 
ter, patter, clitter, clatter,” went little feet and 
“thump, thump,” went the knocker again and 
a voice cried out, 

“You’ll dislike the turkey like as not, 
Without potatoes smoking hot.” 

The Funny Fox lashed his beautiful tail and 
said, “Some one is playing a joke on me.” He 
went back and carved one leg off the great, fat 
turkey and was just going to begin to eat his 
dinner, when “Ting-a-ling,” went the tele¬ 
phone and he answered, as a voice called, 

“Don’t eat your turkey for by and by 
You can have some pumpkin pie.” 

The voice went on and on, keeping the 
Funny Fox at the telephone and he was an¬ 
noyed you may be sure. 

When he got back to the little table the tur¬ 
key was gone, drum stick and all! 

He set up such a howl that the Bold Badger 
who was going by stopped in to see what was 
the matter. 




34 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


It was an hour and seventeen minutes before 
the Funny Fox stopped roaring. 

The Bold Badger then said, “As tomorrow 
will be Thanksgiving Day, come and take din¬ 
ner with me, and bring Mrs. Fox and Freddie 
and Freda Fox. 

Mrs. Fox was pleased when she heard they 
were all invited and said, “A FRIEND IN 
NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED.” 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


35 


BOLD BADGER 

The Foxes live in a little den 
Way down in the leafy glen, 

But now they all are on their way 
To celebrate Thanksgiving Day. 

The Funny Fox, and Mrs. Fox, and Freddie 
and Freda Fox went merrily through the woods 
to the Bold Badger’s house. 

They all gave their fur an extra brush and 
wore their best bibs and tuckers. 

The Bold Badger lived in a burrow, and he 
stood by the entrance to it and made all his 
visitors welcome. 

In they went, and at last found themselves 
in a large room with a table set with plates and 
a great pitcher of honey. 

The Bold Badger even had a flower in a flow¬ 
er-pot on the window-sill. 

They wore bibs so as to keep clean and the 





36 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


turkey was so very heavy Mrs. Fox insisted on 
helping bring it in. She brought it on a great 
platter, and it was smoking hot. 

When it was set on the table the Funny Fox 
laughed until his sides ached, for it had only one 
leg and looked like the very same turkey he had 
sat down to, the day before! 

The animals had a regular Thanksgiving 
feast with all sorts of good things and the little 
Foxes behaved very well considering their na¬ 
ture, though Mrs. Fox continually said, 

“Good girls and boys don’t make a noise, 

Sit up if you’re able, and don’t pound the 
table.” 

They had a merry meal and the Bold Badger 
said, “One day lately I peeped in, and saw you 
had been to the Barber, please tell us about it.” 

The Funny Fox remarked, “Ill news travels 
fast,” and he sat back comfortably to tell the 
story. 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


37 


AMIABLE APE 

The Amiable Ape, so the story goes, 

Is a Barber as you suppose, 

If you have her trim your ruff 
Be sure to say, “Enough is enough.” 

The Funny Fox said, “The other day I went 
to visit the Amiable Ape, our lady Barber, to 
get a hair cut, I sat down in her chair and as 
her shears went “snip, snip, snip,” she said, 

“See that picture on the wall. 

The Lion who is King of all.” 

The Funny Fox said, “I got so interested in 
looking at the Lordly Lion in his handsome 
robe, and I so admired his crown, while the 
Amiable Ape’s shears went “snip, snip, snip,” 
that I never gave a thought to what she was do¬ 
ing, until as bad luck would have it, I was shorn 
like a lamb! 





38 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


Now, I have to wear clothing - to keep warm, 
and the Amiable Ape said to me as I went out, 

“Look in the mirror as you go out, 

You’ll like your appearance beyond a doubt.” 

I was so angry I nearly tumbled over her serv¬ 
ant as she was bringing in the oil to finish the 
hair dressing, 

The Amiable Ape called after me, 

“I left fur on your tail and toes. 

That will help some, I suppose!” 

I was so angry to find the Amiable Ape had 
been playing a trick on me, for she was usually 
my friend, but still I was thankful to have some 
fur left, which reminds me of the saying, 

“HALF A LOAF IS BETTER THAN NO 
BREAD.” 

To change the subject the Bold Badger said, 

“I’ve heard that story once or twice, 

Let’s all go skating on the ice.” 

So out they went, and while the Bold Badger 
was fitting his skates on, many interesting 
things happened. 





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The Amiable Ape Said to Me 














































































40 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


THE WOLFS ESCAPE 

If you are the Wolf who owns a tail, 

To mind mother you should not fail. 

If it’s too early to begin, 

Don’t skate when the ice is thin. 

The Funny Fox saw something that amused 
him. He saw the Willful Wolf with his tail 
stuck fast in a hole in the ice. He had once 
told the Willful Wolf he could catch a meal of 
fish in this way! 

The Willful Wolf called, 

“Help me out, help me out, 

Or I’ll stick fast beyond a doubt.” 

All the Poplar trees heard his cry, and all .the 
Cat-Tails and grasses swayed to and fro in the 
wind. 

“What will you give me if I help you out?” 
asked the Funny Fox. 

The Willful Wolf said, 

“I will give you my bag with money in it, 
Please do not wait another minute.” 

“That is not enough,” said the Funny Fox. 

The Willful Wolf said, 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


41 


“I will give you my coat with the collar too, 
Come, hurry up whatever you do!” 

The Funny Fox said, “That is not enough.” 

The Willful Wolf said, 

“I will give you my fur-lined shoes, 

You can help me if you choose.” 

The Funny Fox had long envied the Willful 
Wolf his shoes, so he gave a great pull and 
helped him out, and by this time a great crowd 
of animals had gathered to see what was going 
on. 

The Funny Fox took the Willful Wolf’s 
presents and threw them to the Bold Badger 
for safe keeping, and dragged the Willful Wolf 
along, for he was nearly frozen. He was stopped 
by two Leopards who were soldiers for the 
King, for they thought he was harming the 
Wolf. 

It was only by a cunning trick that the 
Funny Fox escaped. He had hoped to make a 
ffieal of the Willful Wolf but had to leave him 
instead, which shows, “YOU CAN’T COUNT 
YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY 
ARE HATCHED.” 




42 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


Y* TREASURE.•• 



LITTLE HILL MEN 

Little Hill Men so I am told, 

On moonlight nights go dig for gold, 

So have a care Little Hill Men, 

The Fox may take it to his den. 

One moonlight night the Funny Fox and 
Mrs. Fox went out to see what they could see! 
To their delight they saw the Little Hill Men 
were digging gold and singing, 

“We’re Little Hill Men, it’s very funny 
We dig, and dig, and dig, for money!” 

“Click, click, click,” went their little spades, 

“Clatter, clatter, clatter,” went the coins in 
their little bags. 














FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


43 


The Funny Fox said to Mrs. Fox, “You wait 
here until I blow the whistle.” Then he went in¬ 
to plain view where the Little Hill Men could 
see him, and he danced the most wonderful 
dance. 

He danced and sang, 

“Dance in the moonlight, it is pleasure. 

To trip to music’s joyous measure.” 

The first Little Hill Man stopped digging. 

The second Little Hill Man stopped to watch 
him. 

Soon they all stopped to see the Funny Fox 
dancing in the moonlight. They called, 

“The Little Hill Men all advance, 

Come Fox, and teach us how to dance.” 

The Funny Fox answered without even 
winking an eye, 

“You can never dance so I am told. 

Laden with your bags of gold.” 

All the Little Hill Men unstrapped the bags 
of‘gold from round their waists, and laid them 
on the ground. 

The Funny Fox said, 

“Close your eyes ’till I count ninety-three, 
Then a wonderful dancer each one shall be.” 




44 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


So, the Little Hill Men closed their eyes and 
danced the new step until the Fox had counted 
to ninety-three, and they counted so loud they 
did not notice that his voice came from farther 
and farther off. When they looked about the 
Funny Fox and their gold had disappeared, 
and they said, thinking of their hurry to learn 
to dance, “HASTE MAKES WASTE.” 

There was nothing left for them to do, but 
to take up their little shovels again singing, 

“We’re Little Hill Men, Little Hill Men, 

We frolic and play now and then, 

Of the dance we all had a taste, 

But have learned that HASTE MAKES 
WASTE.” 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


45 


COMICAL CROW 


The Comical Crow has a tale of woe, 

And this is a story you ought to know, 

He’s a wonderful Bird—he can fly and walk, 
And sometimes he can even talk, 

He says, “The Funny Fox one day, 

Out in the meadow came and lay, 

He pretended he was fast asleep, 

So nearer and nearer the wheat I’d creep. 

He came suddenly so wide awake, 

Too late we learned our sad mistake, 

My friends he caught upon that day 
But I spread my wings and flew away, 

The Fox is cunning and very shy, 

To be his friend I’ll never try, 

I will travel as far as I choose 

To tell on the Fox I’ll spread the news.” 


Which shows that “LITTLE LEAKS SINK 
GREAT SHIPS.” 





46 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


DARING DOG 

Of the Funny Fox beware. 

He’s full of tricks you know. 

So when you see him have a care 
Which way you’d better go. 

Once upon a time the Funny Fox was very 
hungry for he had had no breakfast and he went 
through the woods to see what he could see. 

By and by to his delight he saw the Daring 
Dog with a great piece of meat which he had 
stolen from the market. 

He was running homeward over a bridge as 
fast as his legs could carry him. 

“My! what beautiful legs you have,” shouted 
the Funny Fox. 

The Daring Dog slowed down a little. 

“My! what a cunning tail you have,” cried 
the Funny Fox. 

The Daring Dog wagged his tail, pleased 
with the compliment. 

“My! what wonderful ears you have,” said 
the Funny Fox. The Daring Dog moved his 
ears to and fro. 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 47 



With a Great Piece of Meat 


The Funny Fox had now caught up with 
him and as he ran alongside of him said, “My! 
what bright eyes you have, but I suppose you 
really have ugly teeth and that spoils your 
whole appearance!” 

This offended the Daring Dog and he 
dropped the meat a second, to show his pearly 
teeth. 

The Funny Fox stole the meat, and was off 
and away before the Daring Dog could say a 
word. He remarked that the Funny Fox would 
have a ‘good meal anyway, and if the butcher 
should see him running now it was the Fox 
who would be punished, which shows, “IT IS 
AN ILL-WIND THAT BLOWS NOBODY 
ANY GOOD.” 








48 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


FAIRY GOLD 

If you dig for Fairy Gold, 

You must be careful so I am told. 

Never to let the secret out. 

Or it will vanish beyond a doubt! 

The Funny Fox called to Mrs. Fox one 
moonlight night. 

“We will take the wheelbarrow old, 

And we’ll dig for Fairy Gold.” 

So off they started, Old Mrs. Fox riding in 
the wheelbarrow until they came to the place 
where the Fox wanted to dig for hidden treas¬ 
ure. 

“Click, click, click,” went his spade in the 
ground. 

“Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!” he cried as he 
dug out two boxes and continued to dig up more 
gold then he had ever dreamed of. 

They lost no time you may be sure in fillin g 
the wheelbarrow with the treasure and took 
turns in wheeling it homeward. They made 
plans for spending some of the loose coins, and 
they decided to hide the rest away. 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


49 



They even planned to make a present to the 
Bold Badger, who was their faithful friend. 

As they went homeward the Funny Fox said 
over and over “MONEY IS A GOOD SERV¬ 
ANT.” 

The moon laughed as he saw the Funny Fox 
hide his gold away for he knew if one steals 
Fairy Gold bad luck will follow him unless he 
gives it up. 



O 0 






50 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 



AUNTY APE 

The little Foxes without fail, 

Like to hear a Good Night Tale, 

So says the Funny Fox, “Ho, ho, 

I’ll tell a story of Poverty Row.” 

He began by saying, One night I went to 
visit Old Aunty Ape, and her children Anna, 
Arthur and Alice, who lived in a shanty in 
Poverty Row. 

They looked so poor and forlorn and had 
little if any clothing on, and their place was so 
poorly furnished that I did not quite know what 
to say. 

A spider web even hung over their door, but 
there was a smell of good cooking which at¬ 
tracted me. 

So, taking off my cap with the bonnie feather 
upon it, and making my very best bow I in¬ 
quired if I might stay and have a few pancakes. 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


51 


To my surprise Aunty Ape served me an 
elegant meal, and then I told the children a 
sleepy story and Anna began to nod and Ar¬ 
thur began to grow sleepy, and Alice began to 
yawn, and Aunty Ape’s head went nid-nod¬ 
ding, and soon they were all fast asleep, and I 
went to the pantry and helped myself to a fine, 
fat chicken all nicely cooked. I left a few coins 
on the platter. 

Coming out, I told the Willful Wolf of my 
good fortune. 

He said, “I will go in and visit them at once.” 

He was shocked by their poverty and homely 
appearance and said, “Aunty Ape why don’t 
you get the children some clothes? Why don’t 
you brush the cobwebs from your door? You 
poor creatures I am sorry for you, but never¬ 
theless I am hungry, so will you give me a bite 
to eat?” 

Aunty Ape boxed his right ear and his left 
ear and the Willful Wolf came out howling, 




52 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 



with nothing to show for his call but a pair of 
lame ears, which proves that my kind words 
stood me in good stead for “SUGAR 


CATCHES MORE FLIES THAN VIN¬ 
EGAR.” 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


53 


MAGIC BOOTS 

Careful Cat and Old Brother Bear 
Look out on Christmas Eve, 

Careful Cat and Old Brother Bear, 

The Foxes often deceive. 

One December the Funny Fox heard that 
Old Brother Bear had magic boots in which he 
could travel a mile a minute, and that the Care¬ 
ful Cat had such wonderful spectacles that she 
could see what was going to happen in the 
future, when she looked through them, so he 
decided to invite them to hang up their stock¬ 
ings in his den on Christmas Eve. 

They were happy to come and hang up their 
stockings of course and the Funny Fox built 
a splendid bonfire outside the den, so they sat 
about in comfort waiting for Santa Claus to 
call. Meanwhile Mrs. Fox filled the stocking 
full of nuts and candy, and said Santa Claus 
might come the other way, as there was another 
opening to the den! 

The Funny Fox said, “Old Brother Bear, let 
me try on your boots a minute, to see if they 




54 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


would fit me.” Then to the Careful Cat he said, 
“Just let me try on your spectacles a minute to 
see if Santa Claus is coming.” 

The animals readily consented and at this 
very minute was heard the “tinkle, tinkle, 
tinkle,” of sleigh-bells and Mrs. Fox said, 
“Hurry, hurry, you may get a glimpse of Santa 
Claus.” 

Old Brother Bear forgot his magic boots, and 
the Careful Cat forgot the wonderful spectacles. 

They hurried into the den. 

There stood the well filled stockings, so they 
shouted “Hurrah! hurrah! for Santa Claus.” 

They hurried out to see him but he was no¬ 
where to be found, and the Funny Fox had 
walked off a mile with the magic boots, and 
what he saw through the wonderful spectacles 
there is no way of knowing. 

Old Mrs. Fox said, “You got your stockings 
filled anyway.” 

The Careful Cat remarked to Old Brother 
Bear as they went homeward. “THEY WHO 
PLAY WITH EDGED TOOLS MUST 
EXPECT TO BE CUT.” 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


55 



IN THE WOODS 

The Bold Badger says in greeting, 

“The animals all hold a meeting, 

So Funny Fox, come on, let’s go 
Or their secrets we’ll not know!” 

The two animals went “trip, trap,” through 
the woods and sure enough they found a great 
group of animals talking as they sat in a circle. 

When the Willful Wolf saw the Funny Fox 
and Bold Badger appear he took off his glove 
and threw it down saying, “Here I throw down 
the gauntlet, and command you to fight before 
the Lordly Lion, who will set the day and 
hour!” 

“Softly, softly,” said the Funny Fox. “My 
Lord the King of Beasts is ill with fever, and 
we will have to put off the fight.” 





56 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


Laughing, the Funny Fox and Bold Badger 
departed, but the animals all decided to go soon 
to the Lordly Lion and tell him of the tricks 
the Funny Fox played upon them. 

This was all very well until the Willful Wolf 
asked in a loud voice, “Who will be the first 
to make complaint?” 

One by one the animals slipped out of the 
circle and the Willful Wolf was left all alone. 

He laughed until his old sides shook, and then 
rang a bell, at which all the animals returned. 

He said, “We will all tell our complaints, and 
I will head the list, so we will stand together 
against the Funny Fox.” 

“All except the Bold Badger,” said the Wise 
Old Owl, “and Aunty Ape and a few other 
friends.” 

The Willful Wolf laughed at the idea of the 
Funny Fox having friends, and the meeting 
broke up in high good humor one of the animals 
saying “BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK 
TOGETHER.” 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


* 57 



LORDLY LION 

Oh Happy Hare take care, take care. 

Be careful what you do, 

The Funny Fox who takes the air, 

May lie in wait for you. 

One morning the Funny Fox was sighing 
when the Happy Hare came by. 

“Why do you sigh?” asked the Happy Hare. 

The Funny Fox said, “The Lordly Lion is 
so ill I am concerned about him, let us go and 
visit him.” 

So off the two went and found the Lordly 
Lion ill in bed, with his Lordly head tied up, 
and his Lordly crown hanging on one of the 
posts of the bed. 






58. 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


The Funny Fox whispered to him, “If you 
would eat the heart of a Hare it would entirely 
cure you.” 

This pleased the Lordly Lion so much that 
he ordered it at once, and the Happy Hare had 
just time to escape out the window! 

The Lordly Lion did procure the heart of a 
Hare later and was cured, so he thought a great 
deal of the Fox and gave him a hamper of food 
which he sat down by the wayside to eat. The 
Fox ate till his sides stuck out and said, 
“ENOUGH IS AS GOOD AS A FEAST.” 







FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


59 


THE THRONE 

Spring has come and now is seen, 

A throne awaiting King and Queen, 

Oh Funny Fox beware, beware, 

For we will hold your trial there. 

The Lordly Lion was coming to the woods 
to meet the animals and hear their complaints 
at last. The Queen was coming too, so the ani¬ 
mals had a throne prepared for them. 

They said, “Where is the Funny Fox? Why 
doesn't he help? Where is the Bold Badger? 
Where is Aunty Ape? Where is the Merry 
Monkey?” 

One and all they were advising the Funny 
Fox to appear ill so that he would be unable 
to meet the King and Queen. 

He laid on some leaves in his den and kept a 
candle burning night and day. 









60 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


When the King heard he was ill, he sent him 
a dainty dish by special messenger, so the Fun¬ 
ny Fox decided if the King favored him thus 
he would get up, so the Bold Badger went with 
him, but they paused in the woods while the 
Badger said these magic words, 

“At times you may see and not be seen, 

When you are tripping o’er the green, 

Funny Fox heed not the strife, 

Now you will lead a charmed life.” 

The Funny Fox felt quite secure now for he 
also had the magic boots and the wonderful 
spectacles but he did not know that the animals 
were going to try to scare him by showing him 
a gallows! 

They came to the throne made ready for the 
King and Queen and near it hung a great rope. 
On inquiring what it was for, the Rollicking 
Ram replied, 

“We are as earnest as can be, 

And if you stay perhaps you’ll see, 

Who will be hanging from that tree.” 

This helps prove that “BREVITY IS THE 
SOUL OF WIT.” 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


61 


THE ESCAPE 

Oh Funny Fox take care, take care, 

When to the woods you go, 

Your enemy is waiting there, 

And you had best bow low. 

When the animals gathered together waiting 
the arrival of the King and Queen the Funny 
Fox put on his spectacles and did not like the 
looks of the future altogether. As he was a 
great story-teller he said. 

Once on a time the Wilful Wolf 
Who thought that he was danger-proof, 

Got a bone in his throat—oh my, 

How the Willful Wolf did cry, 

I heard him cry and heard him shout, 

I sent the Crane to help him out, 

He promised the Crane a pot of honey 
Or else a little purse of money, 

The Crane took out the bone with ease, 

(He has a long bill if you please) 





62 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


But he did not receive a cent of money, 

Nor did he get his pot of honey, 

The Wolf said, “Run home to your wife, 

You should be thankful I spared YOUR life!” 

The Animals thought this was so unfair in 
the Willful Wolf that they came near hanging 
him from the tree, but he escaped which re¬ 
minds us of the saying, “A MISS IS AS 
GOOD AS A MILE.” 







FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


63 


THE KING AND QUEEN 

The Lordly Lion on his throne. 

Will hear complaint from every one, 

The Lioness I do declare, 

Looks like a Queen in her high chair. 

Very splendid indeed was the arrival of the 
King and Queen in the woods, and they had 
splendidly attired attendants. Finally they 
took their places on the throne prepared for 
them and were ready to hear the animal’s com¬ 
plaints. 

The Lordly Lion looked very splendid in his 
red robe and gold crown, waving his sceptre 
and the Queen had two Merry Monkeys for 
sentinels. She wore an ermine robe which 
trailed to the ground, and a golden crown, and 
she sat intently listening. 

The Funny Fox advanced and bowed humb¬ 
ly saying, “I am the Funny Fox, your loyal 
subject.” 

He looked meek indeed for he could see 
through his wonderful glasses what was going 
to happen. 

He thought it best to take off his wonderful 






64 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


glasses and present them to the Lordly Lion 
saying, “My Lord, allow me to offer you a gift. 
Put on these wonderful glasses or spectacles, as 
they are called, and you can read the future 
like an open book.” 

The Lordly Lion could not help being 
pleased. 

The Reckless Ram next came forward and 
said, 

‘‘Wait my Lord, ’till you hear the whole, 

I will write the proceedings on a scroll. ,, 

He had a quill pen he was anxious to use and 
a new sheet of paper. The animals held their 
breath to see what would happen. 






FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


65 



A Piece of Sticky Flypaper on His Back 


THE JUDGE 

The Lordly Lion thought it fun, 

To be the judge of every one, 

So animals from far and near, 

Were very glad to gather here. 

The Careful Cat came limping along on a 
crutch. She had got well long ago, but put 
on her bandages again and came limping along 
on a crutch to make complaint of her treat¬ 
ment by the Funny Fox. 

Next came Old Brother Bear storming 
through the forest for the Funny Fox had put 
a piece of sticky-fly-paper on his back to tease 
him. 







66 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


The Careful Cat’s grandmother brought a 
book in which she had written the doings of the 
Funny Fox as she had observed them through 
her nine lives. She presented it to the Lordly 
Lion to read. 

The Happy Hare showed the picture of one 
of his cousins rescued too late from the Funny 
Fox, and he told of his own trial and showed 
his own torn ear! 

The Delightful Donkey showed a meal of 
thistles that had been served him by the Funny 
Fox. 

Just as Old Brother Bear was going to relate 
the many tricks played on him the Reckless 
Ram told of the time the Funny Fox’s great 
grandmother had tricked and roasted his twen¬ 
ty-first cousin, and this made a thrilling tale 
indeed. 

The Willful Wolf became excited and kept 
shouting, “I threw down the gauntlet, I threw 
down the gauntlet.” 

His face was the picture of rage. 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


67 



A Crow Flying Over Head 


The Bonnie Beaver had collected books and 
books telling tales on the Funny Fox, and the 
Pretty Pony said she could hardly train her 
colts at all for the Funny Fox set them such a 
bad example. 

A Crow flying overhead paused and talked 
an hour, and by this time it began to look pretty 
bad for the Funny Fox which shows “IT IS A 
LONG LANE THAT HAS NO TURN¬ 
ING.” 




68 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 



A SOFT ANSWER 


The Lordly Lion growls and shouts. 

Be careful what you are about, 

Funny Fox we’re here to-day 
To listen to what you’ve to say. 

The Funny Fox had heard that “A SOFT 
ANSWER TURNETH AWAY WRATH,” 
so he stood upright saying, “My Lord and Mas¬ 
ter, do you remember how I helped you in your 
recent illness, and though I play a joke now and 
then, I have a really kind heart. 

As for my catching poultry, I have a wife 
and two children to support. (Mrs. Fox and 
the children were near, they each sat looking 
as innocent as a mouse.) 






FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


69 


Besides this, I have a sly disposition, and it 
is my nature to tease, as it is your nature to rule, 
besides this, My Lord and King, see my many 
friends.” 

There was a great rustling of branches and 
leaves. 

In came the Bold Badger, the Shy Deer, the 
Ape Family and many other animals to testify 
for him! 

Had the Lordly Lion not known the Whole 
Fox family for years and years, he might have 
set him free then and there, but a great tumult 
arose from the animals he had wronged, and he 
asked the Funny Fox to say his prayers to the 
Reckless Ram. Old Brother Bear acted as 
jailer and took the Funny Fox to jail. 

The Funny Fox was sad but soon regained 
his humor and next day asked the Lordly Lion 
to visit him and hear a Fairy Tale. 




70 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


THE GOLD AND THE JEWELS 

If you are sad then do not fail. 

To read this jolly Fairy Tale, 

For Fairy Tales are often funny, 

And laughter worth a mint of money. 

The Lordly Lion went to visit the Funny 
Fox in his cell and the Funny Fox said, “Once 
on a time the Little Hill Men were digging, dig¬ 
ging for gold on the hill side and I made them 
leam a little dance and took their gold by a 
cunning trick, and I hid it away for you my 
Lord and Master, and if you will let me go out 
in my Magic Boots I will be back in a short time 
for I procured this treasure for you.” 

The Lordly Lion let the Funny Fox out, and 
in less than no time back he came with the gold. 

The King of Beasts was pleased for he 
wished to return the gold to the Little Hill Men, 
as he had heard much complaint from them and 
he said he would stay and listen to another 
Fairy Tale. 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


71 


Fairy Tales if we discover. 

Can be told the wide world over. 

This really has a magic sound, 

The lost jewels now are found. 

So said the Funny Fox and the Lordly Lion 
begged him to tell what jewels were in his lost 
chest. 

The Funny Fox said, “As I remember it the 
jewels were stolen by animals long ago, and 
taken out the secret door of your castle. I dis¬ 
covered where they were, and my good wife 
helped me carry them safely to my den.” 

“Yes, yes,” cried the Lordly Lion, “but tell me 
what was in the jewel chest.” 

The Funny Fox said, “Will you give me my 
freedom if I describe the contents of the jewel 
case and deliver them safely into your keep¬ 
ing?” 

This the Lordly Lion consented to do, so the 
Funny Fox continued, “In the jewel chest were 
three smaller chests, and they contained strings 
of gold, and pearls, and a gold crown and many 
curious pitchers and vases, and bags of gold. 
One necklace had an eight-pointed star on the 
end.” 




72 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 



In This Jewel Chest 


As the Funny Fox described all these things 
correctly the Lordly Lion said he himself 
would send to his den and if the treasures were 
delivered over to him, he and Mrs. Fox could 
come to the castle and live in ease and comfort. 

While the Lordly Lion sent to the den he 
asked the Funny Fox to tell another Fairy 
Tale. 






FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


73 



THE MAGIC COMB 

The Magic Comb run through your hair, 
Will make you happy anywhere, 

.So says the song, so says the rhyme, 

It’s carved with scenes of olden time. 

The Funny Fox produced the Magic Comb. 
It had quaint stories and legends carved upon 
it, and the Funny Fox knew them all by heart. 
He ran the Comb through his fur and was so 
happy he did not mind being in jail at all. He 
even forgot the Sad Bears growling in the den 
next him. 

The King ran the Comb through his hair and 
was so happy he danced a jig. 




74 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


The Funny Fox said, “Here is a Magic Mir¬ 
ror with my likeness curved on the sides and 
handle, one who looks in this mirror need never 
study history for he can see what happened in 
the past. Just now I see my great grandfather 
unjustly tried for an act committed by the 
Wolf.” 

The Lordly Lion, looking in the mirror saw 
the great grandfather Fox in chains, and the 
Owl reading his sentence. 

The Lordly Lion said, “Tell me the tale of 
the ring and we will then go to the castle and 
live happily ever after.” 

The Funny Fox turned the Magic ring and 
said, 

“That shall be as you wish, 

But ducks are your favorite dish.” 

In came two ducks smoking hot and they had 
a meal. 

As the Lordly Lion spoke of liking fish, in 
came a basket of fish and a string of fish, for 
the Funny Fox had only to turn the Magic 
Ring and the dish he asked for appeared. 








Ran the Comb Through His Hair 






























































76 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


The Lordly Lion by this time thought the 
Funny Fox a worthy fellow, and did not care 
a bit about his playing tricks on any one. 

At this very minute the jewel case was 
brought in and the Lordly Lion presented the 
Funny Fox with an ermine cape and a gold 
crown! 

The Funny Fox said, 

“I am happy now at last, 

I can forget all the past, 

I played with matches, like as not 
I forgot fire was so hot, 

Many, many years ago, 

I scorched my bushy tail you know, 

And once the house-wife threw out bones, 
And pelted me with ugly stones, 

The animals often call me sly, 

I never could imagine why!” 

So saying, the Funny Fox slipped out with 
his Magic Boots on, and the Lordly Lion did 
not know what to make of this behavior. 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


77 


THE LESSONS 

If to fight a duel you ever go. 

You must practice for it as you know 
The Funny Fox took lessons then. 

In his own dark hidden den. 

The Funny Fox had not forgotten that the 
Willful Wolf had thrown down the gauntlet 
and summoned him to a duel. He had to pre¬ 
pare to meet the Willful Wolf on a certain day, 
at a certain hour, and he had to practice boxing 
and he had to exercise and rest regularly. This 
was the reason he left the Lordly Lion, for he 
had no time to lose. 

Aunty Ape rubbed him all over with a slip¬ 
pery grease, so that the Willful Wolf would not 
be able to hold onto him for a second! 

The Bold Badger boxed with him and taught 
him much cunning and all his friends helped 
him to prepare for the coming event. 

The day and hour came. 

All the animals assembled in the woods and 
believed that the Funny Fox would not keep 
his word. 




78 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


The Careful Cat suggested that no doubt he 
was now living in fine style in the castle, as he 
had not been seen in the woods since he escaped 
from jail. 

The Lazy Leopard said the Funny Fox 
might show up yet at the last minute. 

Sure enough, at the last stroke of twelve he 
came and all his friends with him. 

The animals set up a shout “Hurrah! hur¬ 
rah!” 

They all took their places and the duel began. 






House of the Willful Wolf Was on Fire 


THE DUEL 

Oh animals it is not right, 

Even to pretend to fight, 

Let’s be good natured every day, 

In our work and in our play. 

The Funny Fox first had the advantage, but 
though the Willful Wolf first could not get hold 
of him, on account of the grease upon him, he 
had wonderful use of his tail, and to this day it 
is not known how the fight would have come 
out if the Bold Badger had not set up a shout, 

“Willful Wolf, fire, fire, 

See the flames go higher, higher.” 

Sure enough, the house of the Willful Wolf 
was on fire! He went howling and limping 











80 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


through the woods and the Funny Fox went 
howling and limping too, to help put the fire 
out. 

There are those who think to this day that the 
Funny Fox knew who started the fire! 

Anyway, the duel was over and the animals 
returned to their own homes. 

The Funny Fox said to his household, 

“There is just one certain thing, 

I must learn a story about a ring, 

What shall I tell about the ring? 

I must not disappoint the King.” 

Mrs. Fox’s head went nid-nid-nodding and 
soon she was fast asleep. 

They did not know that the Wise Old Owl 
was so sleepy that he did not know the out¬ 
come of the duel and went off to tell the King 
that he thought the Funny Fox was hurt in 
battle! 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


81 


THE MAGIC HORSE 

You can travel fast of course, 

If you ride a Magic Horse, 

So gallop away, gallop away, 

As King’s messenger to-day. 

Prince Light-Heart heard the King growl¬ 
ing and growling. 

He growled so hard he nearly shook the 
crown off his head. He told the Prince to 
mount the Pony Prancer, and go straight to 
the woods, and find out the truth of the matter. 

Prince Light-Heart knew and loved all the 
animals and they all knew and loved him. 

He rode rapidly away and when he arrived 
in the woods found the Bold Badger, who in 
answer to his question, only shook his head, 
next he met the Careful Cat who had a sad de¬ 
meanor, and the Amiable Ape who remarked, 
‘Woe is me.” 

Old Brother Bear shook his head also, but 
one and all remarked when coaxed to talk, 




82 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


“The Funny Fox stays in his den, 

He does not come out even now and then, 
Though he plays tricks, goodness knows 
We miss him as you might suppose!” 

Prince Light-Heart went “clitter, clatter,” to 
the den. 

He said, 

“Funny Fox, without a doubt, 

You’ll tell me what this is about, 

The sunshine’s warm here in the glen, 

Why not come out from your den?” 

Mrs. Fox came out and made excuses but 
Prince Light-Heart would come in and rest. 

The Funny Fox greeted him and said, 

“A Fairy Tale perhaps you bring, 

I will present to you this ring.” 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


83 



Only the Magic Ring Could Bring the Princess to Life Again 


THE PRINCE 

A Fairy Tale on a band of gold, 

So the enchanting story is told, 

Prince Light-Heart will ride away, 

To find the Princess fair to-day! 

The Prince was so rejoiced to recover his lost 
ring that he kissed the Funny Fox and told 
him that the Princess had been changed to a 
snake years and years ago, and only by use of 
this Magic Ring could he bring her to life 
again. 

As soon as he could do this they would be 
married and have half the kingdom. 

The Funny Fox found great favor with the 
Prince and asked him to dine there. By care- 






84 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


ful study of the Ring they found the Princess 
was in a convent garden and the directions 
read, 

“Travel east and travel west, 

Follow the road you like the best, 

Your pony you must leave of course, 

And ride upon the Wooden Horse.” 

The Funny Fox clapped his paws and 
brought forth a Wooden Horse made by his 
great, great grandfather, and never used. 

Prince Light-Heart took the Wooden Horse 
outside, mounted it, and to his surprise they 
leaped into the air together and rode to the con¬ 
vent garden. 

Mrs. Fox said, 

“I hope the Princess is alive, 

I hope Prince Light-Heart will arrive.” 

The Funny Fox said, 

“The King will receive us now of course, 
Because of the gift of the Wooden Horse.” 

All this time the Lordly Lion was waiting 
for news of the Funny Fox. 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


85 



THE INVITATION 

“The invitations who will write, 

All the animals to invite, 

The Lordly Lion said, ‘What fun, 

We’ll have a feast for every one’.” 

The first invitation sent out was to the Pa¬ 
tient Pig. 

The Patient Pig just danced a jig 
When his invitation came, 

He said, “I’m glad I’m a Piggie Wig, 

And the Patient Pig is my name, 








86 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


Though I like good things to eat 
This fact now appears, 

I’m invited to a treat. 

The first time in years and years.” 

He went to show his invitation to the Merry 
Monkey who was leaping from tree to tree with 
his best jacket on, with the striped sleeves and 
rolling collar. 

He said, “You are lucky I declare 
Patient Pig, what will you wear?” 

They talked the matter over and the Patient 
Pig decided that he looked best in his new 
checked suit and he was glad to find the Merry 
Monkey was also invited. They could hardly 
wait to find out who else w r as invited and they 
could hardly wait to find out what they were to 
have to eat. 

As they went along the Zealous Zebra said, 
“Our differences we’ll put aside, 

Now, the invitation has come. 

We all will travel far and wide, 

There is fun for every one.” 

The Zealous Zebra was so very polite that the 
Patient Pig said, “That reminds me of the say¬ 
ing, ‘A NEW BROOM SWEEPS CLEAN’.” 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


87 


THE COMICAL CRANE 

Said the Comical Crane, 

“I stand four feet high, 

To learn my call, 

I hope you’ll try.” 

The Comical Crane had a wonderful call. He 
could be heard at a long distance and he cried 
out in two notes an octave apart. He made 
such a noise when he received his invitation to 
the feast that soon he had all the other animals 
around him, and the joke was, they all came 
bearing invitations too. 

The Celebrated Camel came humping along 
and remarked, 

“We’ll start to travel it is clear, 

For this is a favorable time of year, 

When we start, of fun there’ll be no lack, 
Now who will travel on my back?” 




88 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


The Faithful Frog* replied, 

“I believe I’d rather hippety-hop, 

Then once in while I’ll rest and stop.’’ 

He continued “I hope the Lordly Lion will 
consult our tastes, and have something each one 
can eat.” 

The Comical Crane said, 

“I’ll keep on calling out for you 
Let’s travel in pairs two and two.” 






FIFTY funny animal tales 


89 



DRESSING UP 

Oh animals without a doubt. 

The invitations all are out, 

And of course to be polite 
The Funny Fox they must invite. 

Such a hurrying and scurrying as there was 
in the Fox’s den. Mrs. Fox said to the children, 
“Where are your best bibs and tuckers? Where 
are your new hair-ribbons?” 

The Funny Fox said, “Where is my high col¬ 
lar? Where is my gold-headed walking stick?” 




90 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


Everything was in progress to get ready for 
the wonderful feast in the castle and every 
animal was preparing for the journey. The 
news had spread far and wide through the for¬ 
est and for once all the animals were friends, 
and no one even suggested that the Funny Fox 
might play a trick on them. 

The Willful Wolf forgot to be angry over the 
duel he had fought, and the Crane forgot to be 
angry with the Willful Wolf for not paying 
him to take the bone out of his throat, and al¬ 
together they were a happy company. 

When the Funny Fox heard they were plan¬ 
ning to travel in pairs he remarked, 

“I’ll wear my Magic Boots you see, 

I may travel alone or in company, 

I’ve learned this lesson, 4 He who smiles, 

Can travel merrily miles, and miles’.” 







FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 91 



Practiced Reciting Verses from Her Mother Goose 


THE JOKE 

They all had a laugh at the Careful Cat, 

As she sat and purred upon her mat, 

She said, “I will drink some milk that’s sweet, 
So I’ll surely have quite enough to eat.” 

Oh, but the Careful Cat looked fine in her 
new clothes, and she practiced reciting verses 
from her Mother Goose. She learned every 
rhyme she could think of that mentioned a cat, 
so that she could have something to think 
about at the feast, and something to talk 
about too. 

She told her kittens that their feelings must 
not be hurt if they had to sit at a side table, 
because one table might not hold all the guests. 










92 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


At this very minute the Thankful Turkey, 
thankful because he was not eaten on Thanks¬ 
giving Day, came in laughing so hard, it was 
some time before he could tell the joke. 

He said the Amiable Ape was so hard of 
hearing she did not know the Crane had been 
calling, and she did not know that the animals 
were all invited and planning to go together 
to the feast. She was trying to reply to her 
invitation and did not know what to write. 

The Shy Squirrel said, “I am going to see 
if I can help her.” 

The Faithful Frog set off too, and when 
they arrived at the home of the Amiable Ape, 
they peeped in the window. 







FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


93 


SHY SQUIRREL 

We always like to be polite, 

The answer then we’ll try to write, 

We’ll answer politely, “yes,” or “no” 

When we are invited out to go. 

The Amiable Ape for once was out of tem¬ 
per. She had upset the ink and blotted the 
paper. She had a dictionary on one side of 
her and a bunch of pencils on the other. She 
had never replied to an invitation before in 
all her life and she did not understand how to 
do it. 

The Shy Squirrel tapped on the window 
and the Faithful Frog croaked his loudest. 

The Amiable Ape said, “Don’t you see, 

I have no time for company, 

The Lordly Lion bids me come. 

To a great feast at his home.” 

The animals went inside. 

The Shy Squirrel took a quill pen and used 
it as he had seen the Reckless Ram do, and 




94 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


he wrote, “The Amiable Ape will be pleased 
to accept the Lordly Lion’s kind invitation to 
the feast, and so on and so on.” 

The Amiable Ape said, “I do declare, 

It is well to have friends everywhere, 

I thank you little Squirrel Shy 
I am very glad that you came by.” 

The Faithful Frog wiped the ink spots off 
the carpet and croaked, 

“We’ll wait at the edge of the woods for you 
We mean to travel two and two.” 





As He Had Seen the Reckless Ram Do 




















96 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 



SOLEMN STORK 

The Solemn Stork likes to carry news, 

But he wears out all his shoes 

The Wood Ibis says, “You can hear me cry, 

I stand about thirty inches high, 

I am busy with little folks you see. 

But hope to join your company, 

A riddle I make—and this I write, 

What kind of a bird is snowy-white? 

It has to brave every kind of weather, 

But its head is bare of feathers, 

It has a bill that’s very long, 

And for digging purposes very strong, 

It has a long and powerful cry, 

And stands as I said thirty inches high, 

Can you guess the bird named in this rhyme. 
When flying they travel one at a time.” 

All the animals put on their thinking-caps 
and for one hour and thirty-two minutes no 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


97 



one could guess what bird the Stork was talk¬ 
ing about. Suddenly, without a bit of warn¬ 
ing the Crane let out a cry and then the an¬ 
imals all knew, 

The riddle described the Crane you see, 

Just as plainly as could be, 

It is fun to make a riddle or two, 

Just try it yourself to prove it’s true! 






98 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


LAZY LEOPARD 

Oh Lazy Leopard will you wake, 

Do not make this sad mistake, 

Of sleeping on more than an hour at least, 

Or you will be late to the feast! 

The Lazy Leopard never liked to get up in 
the morning and when grandfather Leopard 
bought him an alarm clock, he got so used to 
it he just turned over and went to sleep again. 

The grandfather Leopard said, 

“I say this to give you warning, 

You must be on time in the morning, 

If my bag of smiles you’d wear, 

You must be on time I declare.” 

So the Lazy Leopard had to practice being 
on time to breakfast, dinner and supper. He 
made himself a wonderful coat to cover his 
many spots and he learned the song of the 
alarm clock, 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


99 


“Be on time—my rhymes are funny, 

Be on time—it’s worth much money.” 

As soon as he learned to be on time grand¬ 
father Leopard gave him his bag of smiles. He 
could use them whenever he pleased for him¬ 
self or any one else. 

When he saw a smile needed any place, 

He sent it to light that particular face, 

Good folks said, “Life is worth while. 

If you’ll teach us how to smile,” 

Though the Leopard travels west or east 
He will be welcome at the feast. 






100 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 



WHAT THEY SAID 

Old Brother Bear said, “I can hardly wait 
The journey to begin, 

I hope they’ll have honey sure as fate, 
When we all get within.” 

How Old Brother Bear did like honey! 
The Daring Dog said, 

“At the feast you can let me alone. 

If you’ll get me a great big bone.” 

The Shy Squirrel said, 

“Of nuts I hope they’ll have a-plenty, 

I could eat about six and twenty.” 

The Amiable Ape said, 

“I can be quite happy but, 

I hope they’ll give me a cocoanut.” 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


101 


The Careful Cat said, 

“A castle is finer far than a house, 

I hope they’ll serve me a nice, fat mouse.” 

The Lazy Leopard said, 

“I know we’ll have good things to eat, 

I hope they’ll serve me lots of meat.” 

The Patient Pig said, 

“I don’t mean to make my voice gruff, 

But I never truly get enough!” 

The Merry Monkey said, 

“Ha, ha, just listen to my voice, 

Some fine ripe fruit will he my choice.” 

The Funny Fox licked his chops and said, 

“Some wishes are better not expressed, 

I’ll never tell what I like best.” 

The Thankful Turkey looked nervous and 
the Happy Hare went off into a corner. 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


102 



Tearing Some Clothes Off the Line 


NOT FOR ME 

The Happy Hare said in accents hearty, 
“Hurrah, hurrah for the Lion’s party, 

I hope some cabbages to eat 
When at the feast we all will meet.” 

The Happy Hare ran about all day saying 
“Cabbages and carrots, cabbages and carrots.” 
“Not for me,” said the Capricious Crane 
“Not for me,” said the Lazy Leopard. 

“Not for me,” said the little Black Bear. 
“Not for me,” said the Gallant Goat. 
“Perhaps you would all be good enough to 
say what you would like to eat then,” said the 
Happy Hare addressing the Gallant Goat. 








FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


103 


He liked to tease, so if you please, 

He said, “I eat some things like these,” 

He held up apron strings you see, 

Before that funny company! 

Sure enough, he had been tearing some 
clothes off the line and had eaten up part of 
the apron that belonged to the Happy Hare. 

The Happy Hare remarked, 

“It is no use for you or me, 

To cry over spilled milk you see.” 

He meant by this, it was no use to grieve over 
the apron for it was gone. 

The Gallant Goat felt so ashamed he took 
two silver dollars from his left hand coat 
pocket and handed them to the Happy Hare, 
and told him to go and buy a brand new blue 
and white checked apron. He did this at once 
singing, 

“I have never a care, I do declare, 

I’m a Happy Hare, a Happy Hare.” 




104 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


AWAITING THE GUESTS 

The Lion said, “Are you aware, 

Many good things we must prepare, 

For the animals we like best 
We will assemble as our guests.” 

The Lordly Lion suggested to the Queen 
that they prepare for the grand feast. 

“We’ll have nuts,” suggested the Queen. 

The Lordly Lion said, “The Lazy Leopard 
will not enjoy nuts.” 

“We will have meat,” suggested the Queen. 

The Lordly Lion said, “Perhaps the Faith¬ 
ful Frog would not care for meat.” 

So, they had a great time preparing a bill of 
fare and they finally decided to have every 
kind of food they could think of, and they set 
three tables for the animals! 

The Lordly Lion had a new crown made for 
himself. 

Everything went on merrily in the way of 
preparation for the coming feast. The Lordly 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


105 


Lion could hardly wait for the great day to 
come. He had high backed chairs placed at 
the head of the table for himself and the 
Queen and said, 

“Tick, tick, tock, tick, tick, tock, 

I must be patient as the clock, 

But as sure as I’m alive, 

I wish the guests would soon arrive.” 



0 


? 






106 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


BE PROMPT 

If to the feast you’ll really go, 

You may have to wait an hour or so, 

Some folks are prompt as they can be. 

And others are behind you see. 

“Are we all here?” asked the Funny Fox 
excitedly running to and fro to count noses! 

The Careful Cat remarked, 

“I don’t know whether I locked my door, 

I often made that mistake before.” 

Of course they had to wait while the Care¬ 
ful Cat ran back to see if she had locked her 
door. 

When all were ready to start again the Lazy 
Leopard remarked, 

“You’ll have to wait ’till I get my cart 
Without me now please do not start.” 

When he had brought his cart the Happy 
Hare cried out, 

“Let’s take turns, give me a ride, 

Let me and the Squirrel sit side hv side.” 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


107 


The Willful Wolf said he wanted to ride the 
first mile, and they had quite a time until the 
Amiable Ape came and reminded them they 
all were to choose partners and go two and two 
as they had agreed. They paired off singing, 
“We come from the west, we come from the 
east, 

We all will journey to the feast.” 

Suddenly some one inquired for the Funny 
Fox. 

He was nowhere to be seen. The Bold 
Badger who had seen him last remarked, 

“He may get there before or after, 

He went off and shook with laughter.” 

The animals all laughed for the Fox would 
not amuse them at all if he did not play some 
tricks upon them. 





108 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 



BEFORE THE REST 

If you ever give a feast 
For either men or beast, 

Be eareful well to guard the door, 

Perhaps I mentioned this before. 

The Funny Fox put on his magic boots and 
ran a mile a minute. He planned to get to 
the feast before the rest, which he did but the 
King’s Sentinel would not let him pass in so 
he had to sit and cool his paws, but he knew 
he must make some excuse to the animals, so 
he borrowed a camera from the Sentinel and 
begged so politely to take pictures of the King 
and Queen, that the Lordly Lion heard his 
voice and came out saying, 

“Funny Fox, you saved my life 
You are welcome here, where is your wife?” 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 109 



The Queen Looked Forward to the Arrival of the Prince and Princess 


The Funny Fox said he came a little in ad¬ 
vance of the company to relate the story of 
the ring. 

This pleased the Lordly Lion so much that 
he said, “We will place two more plates at the 
table for the Prince and Princess may arrive 
at any minute.” 

The Funny Fox begged to be allowed to 
place the extra plates on the table, and the 
Queen later, missed a plate of cookies! 

The Queen looked forward to the arrival of 
the Prince and Princess, 

This was sensible for of course, 

Thev were riding on a Wooden Horse, 

And a Wooden Horse with never a care, 

Can carry his passengers anywhere. 










110 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


WELCOME 

If you’re an animal and alive, 

You’ll find it is fun to arrive 
From the largest to the least, 

They all enjoy the lovely feast. 

“Hippety-hop, hippety hop,” all the animals 
travelled through the woods and soon they ar¬ 
rived at the great feast. 

The Lordly Lion lashed his tail and said, 

“Welcome to every bird and beast, 

Welcome, welcome to the feast.” 

The animals found their places at the table. 

What a wonderful table it was! 

There were cold rolls and hot rolls. 

There was cold meat and hot meat. 

There was a great pumpkin pie in the center 
of the table and jugs of milk and honey. 

Everything went smoothly until the Patient 
Pig tried to grab some food and the Amiable 
Ape looked really cross and shouted, 

“Though you’re very fat and big 
In actions too, do not show the pig!” 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


111 


The Merry Monkey gave him a severe look 
and the Patient Pig was so mad at being re¬ 
minded of his enormous appetite that he merely 
grunted. 

The Tiger suggested a toast to the Leopard 
and said, 

“For you this is my wish, 

A long life of happiness!” 

Soon they were all drinking each others 
health and shouting, “Long live the Lordly 
Lion, long live the Lioness, long live the Funny 
Fox!” 




112 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


THE SMILE BAG 

Be entertaining at the table, 

At least so far as you are able, 

The hours that come for laugh and song 
Right merrily will speed along. 

Some of the animals forgot their table man¬ 
ners. 

The Thankful Turkey said, 

“Did you really mean to tease, 

I don’t like nuts if you please.” 

Sure enough, the nuts were by his place at 
the table and the Patient Pig remarked, 

“I’m the Patient Pig but like as not 
We should have our muffins smoking hot.” 

Old Brother Bear said, 

I m Old Brother Bear, I do declare, 

I can’t see the honey anywhere.” 

The animals were busy passing things to eat 
and the Patient Pig got in a hurry again and 
began to sample everything in front of him. 
The Amiable Ape lost her temper and said, 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


113 


“If you don’t mind your P’s and Q’s 
We’ll send you out-doors if we choose.” 

At this very minute the Lazy Leopard 
opened his bag of smiles. He said, 

“Here is a smile for every face, 

Here is the hour, time and place, 

Here is happiness for every beast 
Smile now and enjoy the feast.” 

My, how the smiles flew to the faces of the 
animals! 

They all cried, “Long live the Leopard.” 

You may mind it, but we do not 
That the Lazy Leopard can’t change his 
spots. 








114 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


MERRY TIME 

Merry, merry is the feast 
Enjoyed by both bird and beast 
They sit at the table a long time 
And tell stories in prose and rhyme. 

The Careful Cat recited so many verses from 
Mother Goose telling' how her great grand¬ 
mother once went to London to see the Queen 
and so on, that the Funny Fox rang a bell 
and shouted, “Ding, dong bell, Pussy’s in the 
well.” 

The Lordly Lion was amused and said, 

“Here is just the very thing, 

The Fox will tell about the ring. 

He may relate too, of course, 

The story of the Wooden Horse, 

And Prince, and Princess, as to-day 
We hope they are not far away. 

We’ll laugh and sing, the Prince will bring 
With him of course, the Magic Ring.” 

The Funny Fox saw they expected him to 
tell a Fairy Tale, but he was enjoying a bone 
so he said, 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


115 


“Did you ever hear the song, 

Not very short or long. 

Of the funny Magic Shoes, 

That go far to carry news?” 

Some of the company had heard the story 
and some of them had not. Those who had 
heard about the Magic Shoes told the story as 
they had heard it, and no two stories agreed. 

The Willful Wolf looked cross-eyed and said, 

“The Funny Fox might tell to-day 
Of t the Magic Boots now anyway.” 




116 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


SINGING 

The Funny Fox began to scold, 

He pretended that he had a cold, 

The Bold Badger began to sing a song, 

Not very short—not very long. 

He sang to the tune of “Yankee Doodle.” 

“If to the woods you often go, ' 

So early in the morning, 

Look out which way the wind doth blow, 

I give you all fair warning. 

Chorus. 

Ha, ha, ha, the Fox is out, 

You may see him dancing, 

Ha, ha, ha, the Fox is out 

\ 

Retreating or advancing.” 

The Bold Badger helped the Fox out by sing¬ 
ing the song over and over till every one learned 
it. 

The Funny Fox did not know much about 
the ring he had given the Prince, and was 
afraid to tell a story about it. 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


117 


The Queen said, 

“A Fairy Tale is the very thing 
Who will tell about the Ring?” 

Every one looked at the Funny Fox. 

He began a merry little dance. 

He danced on his toes as you suppose, 

He even danced on the tip of his nose. 

They were all so pleased to see the dance, 
they forgot about the story. The Funny Fox 
danced to the switch that turned off the lights 
and he left the whole company in darkness. 

jin his Magic Boots he travelled a mile 
And still he wore a pleasant smile. 











118 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


THE RIDDLE 

Said the Patient Pig, “It now appears, 

I have lived for years and years, 

Some things I cannot quite express, 

But here is a riddle for you to guess.” 

They got the lights turned on again and the 
Patient Pig began to tell his riddle. 

“One animal with a bushy-tail 
Is always cunning without fail. 

Every secret that he hears 
He remembers years and years. 

He invites us now and then 
To visit him down in his den, 

His name begins with F, and so 
You may guess in an hour I know.” 

The animals laughed and their merry eyes 
twinkled. 

The Thankful Turkey was the first to 
shout, “The Funny Fox.” 

He next said, 

“There’s a big animal with a curly tail 
To name him you can scarcely fail 
When I tell you at any kind of treat 
He never gets enough to eat.” 





FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 119 



The Thankful Turkey Was the First to Shout 


They all shouted “The Patient Pig - .” 

The animals made so many riddles they for¬ 
got that 

They were waiting for something else of 
course, 

The arrival of the Wooden Horse. 













120 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


THE WOODEN HORSE 

If you ride a horse of wood, 

You may not arrive just as you should. 

But it has a Magic sound 
To ride high o’er the ground. 

When Prince Light-Heart arrived at the 
convent he put on a suit of armor and by use 
of the Magic Ring turned the snake into the 
Pretty Princess. She was more than willing 
to mount the Wooden Horse with him. She 
did not wait for any wraps but mounted behind 
the Prince. 

“Don’t let me fair off,” she cried. 

“Hold on tight,” shouted the Prince. 

The Pretty Princess said, 

“I love every bird and beast 
I hope we’ll arrive at the feast.” 

Faster and faster went the Wooden Horse, 
high up over house-tops, valley and hill. 

They arrived at the castle just as the animals 
were preparing to leave the table. 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


121 


“I knew the time and place of course,” 

Said the wonderful Wooden Horse. 

“Our journey was not fast or slow, 

But I am glad to rest you know. 

We travelled west and travelled east 
And still expect to have a feast, 

We all have reason to rejoice,” 

Said the Wooden Horse in his wooden voice. 







122 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 



THE MESSAGE 

This story very soon will end, 

So, if you like it, tell a friend, 

And when it’s really, truly over, 

Read again from cover to cover. 

“Hark,” cried the Lordly Lion, “I hear the 
clatter of wooden feet.” 

The Queen said, 

“I hear the clatter of feet of course. 

It is the wonderful Wooden Horse!” 

At this very minute the Wooden Horse 
poked his head in the door and said, 

“The Prince and Princess are alive, 

We are very happy to arrive.” 

The Princess smoothed her beautiful hair 
and straightened her pretty beads. The Prince 




FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


123 


slipped out of his armor and the King and 
Queen insisted they take their places at the 
table, and ordered, 

More coffee, more rolls, more cakes and spice 
More apples, more honey and everything nice. 

So, the feast began all over again, and the 
Prince and Princess told of their travels, and 
the Prince rubbed the Magic Ring and the 
Lordly Lion became a real King and the 
Lioness a real Queen, and they divided their 
kingdom with the Prince and Princess. 

While all this was going on, the Wooden 
Horse felt his nose quite out of joint and sat 
in a corner and said, 

“My wooden legs were once my pride. 

Will no one jump on me and ride?” 

The Funny Fox peeped in the window and 
shouted, 

“We’ll be most happy to ride of course, 

You are a wonderful Wooden Horse.” 











124 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 



Crowned Him With a Laurel Wreath 


The Wooden Horse has ways so funny, 

Quite worth the admission money. 

Wherever he’ll go, you really know, 

He’ll dance and prance his skill to show. 

The Funny Fox whispered in one ear of the 
Wooden Horse, and the Willful Wolf whis¬ 
pered in the other. 

The Happy Hare had such big ears he could 
hear things not meant for all and he shouted, 

‘‘We will have a jolly ride you see, 

If you take the whole company!” 

All the animals wanted to ride the Wooden 
Horse. 







126 


FIFTY FUNNY ANIMAL TALES 


He was pleased at being so popular, and 
though they crowded each other, he took them 
all home, and dropped them on the way one 
at a time. 

The Funny Fox was the last one to leave 
and he invited the Wooden Horse to live with 
him again for a year and a day. 

The Wooden Horse went out many times 
after that, and the Happy Hare often rode on 
him and cried, 

“You’re a wonderful Horse I do declare 
While I am only a tiny Happy Hare.” 

By and by the King sent for the Funny Fox 
and crowned him with a laurel wreath, for he 
liked him and enjoyed his jokes so much. The 
Funny Fox wrote all his jokes in a book and 
said, 

“Tales of love and tales of laughter, 

Are the things we’re looking after, 

So turn the pages merrily 

And you’ll have many a laugh with me.” 


FINIS 





♦ 


• • 





ALBERT WHITMAN’S 
EASY READING JUVENILE LIBRARY 
“JUST RIGHT BOOKS” 

Profusely illustrated in colors; reinforced cloth binding; 
printed in large type on fine paper; jackets in color; 
price each, 60 c. 


The Tiddly Winks 
Surprise Stories 
The Party Twins 
Washington’s Boyhood 
Comical Circus Stories 
Real Out-of-Door Stories 
Fifty Funny Animal Tales 
In and Out-Door Playgames 
Child’s Garden of Verses 
The Treasure Twins 


Open Air Stories 
Gingerbread Boy 
Doll Land Stories 
Tale of Curly Tail 
Reading Time Stories 
Knowledge Primer Games 
Jolly Polly and Curly Tail 
Flower and Berry Babies 
Little Boy France 
Busy Fingers Drawing Primer 


Happy Manikin in Manners Town 
The Vegetable and Fruit Children 
The Dinner That Was Always There 
Six Tiddly Winks and the A to Zees 


PUBLISHED BY 

ALBERT WHITMAN & COMPANY 
CHICAGO, U. S. A. 































































































































































